How to Perform a Give and Go in Soccer

The "give and go" in soccer is also known as the "wall pass." This maneuver is one of the oldest tricks in the book and still one of the most effective. You will see professionals perform the give and go at least once a game.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Field
• Soccer ball
• Team of players

Perform the Give and Go

1. Set up two players on a field. Have one player remain stationary. Have the other player (you) get ready with the ball a short distance away.
2. Start running with the stationary player on either your right or left side. As you start running, pass the ball to the stationary player. Try to pass the ball as if the player you are passing it to is a wall. This will make the player's job easier.
3. Keep running on the same trajectory. The stationary player will immediately pass the ball back to you, but ahead of you in such a way that you will not need to slow down to receive the pass.

Perform the Assist in the Give and Go

4. Stand and wait for the player to pass the soccer ball to you. Be ready with the inside of your foot to trap the player's pass.
5. Bounce the pass back to the player so that he runs by you without slowing down and still can receive the pass easily. You might have to do nothing else but keep your foot still or you might have to kick the ball further ahead of the sprinting player.

Run Drills for the Give and Go

6. Find a wall and an open space. There is a reason the give and go is also known as the wall pass. With a wall, you can perform a practice drill all by yourself. Run and kick the ball at the wall at such an angle that the ball will bounce back to you perfectly as you keep running by.
7. Run the drill with another player. To make the pass more realistic, put obstacles on the field between you and the other player. In a real game, the give and go is used to fool defenders that are on top of you.
8. Repeat the drill over and over. Practice makes perfect. Mastering the angles of the give and go is not easy, especially on a playing field. If you become confident in its use, you'll be more effective on the field.

Tips & Warnings

• The give and go is one of the more well-known soccer techniques, but if you feel you could benefit from a little extra instruction, or want to provide yourself with a bit of a challenge, pick up a book like "High-Performance Soccer: Techniques and Tactics for Advanced Play" by Paul Caligiuri and Dan Herbst (see Resources below).

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